They are going into the fight as a trio tag team to defend the status quo.

I believe their objective is none other than to squish Mukhriz by utilizing their combined "resources".

They know, the other challengers, former vice-presidents DS Mohd Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Isa Samad are no real threat to them.

I believe the duo can easily be "kow tim"ed at a later stage or probably it's done deals already.

Now, why do the incumbents need to collectively agree to help each other?

Zahid, by right, do not need such an arrangement as he is in the strongest position among the trio.

But he is the oldest at 60.

His chance to move further up the hierarchy once deputy president TS Muhyiddin Yassin retires at the end of this term will be seriously affected by the presence of Mukhriz as a fellow vice-president.

Hishammuddin needs the alliance more than Zahid and Shafie. Despite having a strong machinery built up since he was the Youth chief, Hishammuddin knows that he is the weakest among the incumbents due to several blunders that he made in the past which had caused his popular ratings to plummet quite badly.

Hishammuddin needs Zahid and Shafie to back him up as even being supported by incumbent Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will not be good enough for him to stand on his own. For those uninitiated, Hishammuddin was the one who pushed everyone aside to make way for Khairy to be his deputy when he was the Youth chief as a gesture to win favor with the young man's father-in-law who was then the party president and Prime Minister.

Now, if the tag team strategy works, Hishammuddin will stand a chance to accompany Zahid to move further up in later years.

Shafie is the Sabah man. He needs to be in the incumbents tag team to solidify his position, especially in winning votes from the divisions in the Peninsular.

Shafie is still at risk with Mukhriz in the race.

This was even so despite the delegates being likely to want a representative from Sabah as a vice-president. Sabah is a key safe deposit of Umno and Barisan Nasional.

As for Isa and Mohd Ali, if they are to proceed with their challenge, I believe they may likely design their strategy in such a way so that it may break up the votes which will go against the three incumbents. I believe a deal could be made on this one.

Realistically, Mukhriz doesn't stand a chance.

I know, it's frustrating, especially for all those Ansara guys. But that's the reality of this vice-presidents' race.

The odds are really stacked up against Mukhriz now.

Yes, I have seen others beating an even worse odds such as Ip Man here,

" semua Nya atas kehendak Allah" - that is the way it should be Annie. My vote goes to Mukhriz and may Allah Swt grant him the " amanah" to lead us. Tun Siti Dr Siti Hasmah will deliver a "public lectures" on " Family Insitution in Modern Day conflict Resolution" at UNiversiti Malaya next Friday. Any one interested?

REF: "One against ten and he won. But that is in a movie. Well, unless some miracles happen."

It seems urban Malays today are really keen to imitate action-packed Chinese gangsterism these days like in "KL Gangster", "Tai-Ko", "Pai-Lang" ... when was the last time you saw a quality silat action movie or classic Hikayat movie? .... PGL? Seems our society is being hoodwinked by pseudo-cultures of full-blooded economic consumerism & group-interest realpoliticking. But how do traditional Chinese understand the ultimate importance of the soul's goodwill and its alignment to the sovereign will of the Absolute? And its place in the dynamics of human rivalry?

(1) Shaolin monks are pure vegetarians so it won't be a problem for Muslims to copy their diet to achieve their amazing strength.

(2) Ip Man's martial prowess is due to his strength in part but surely to his skill and versatility mainly, and also his intelligence? Can the strength of one man outdo the combined strength of ten karate fighters? I suppose karate guys also eat no less meat in their diet.

Yes, it's true the odds are stacked against him. But don't forget Dr. Mahathir. You have no idea what that elderman capable of. When he sets his mid on doing something, even Mount Everest would be bulldozed to get what he wants.

As TDM and wife is still around and active, I sure hope Mukhriz will win. He needs to be above or at par with his father, kata org Melayu - jaga muka, so there shld be some kind of motivation and push on his side.

Unlike many from the Opposition whose backgrounds we know not, could be children of ex Communists or 1st generation immigrants or like Zairil, a Chinese boy from Singapore claiming to be a Malay?

We met Mukhriz when we were in our teens. He introduced us to the musical of Kitaro. A sensational music for basic feeling of nature and being human is Mukhlriz's translation.

A curly young man who perhaps loves the musical of Kitaro has the reflection of his sense in brotherhood with care, love and his vivid ways of credential thinkings in the environment of his growing up, a fundamental element of leadership.

Mukhris is the savior to Umno and Barisan National and Khairy is an asset to Umno. With Mukhris, Khairy, Datuk Maznah (to deodorize Wanita) and Jamilah Hanim (a grass-root leader headed) are pillars (IP men and women) of new future leaders whom Umno and Barisan National can hope for.

Annie perhaps you genuinely see it that way. or perhaps you are doing reverse psycho to energise mukriz's supporters. in any case, i agree its an uphill battle. therefore, the realistic strategy for mukriz's operators is offer him for one of the three vp slots to delegates. bcoz there are 3 seats, there is some possibility for mukriz to garner votes from among the supporters of the five contenders, even the incumbents. the incumbents may be having a pact but i can tell you not all their supporters will be voting for all three.

Honestly, I don't really care who UMNO choose to be their leaders. Just like US Presidency, whoever elected there will be subjected the forces that really hold the power, the conservatives, the big business, the jews.

Same thing here, otherwise, how can PM and his trusted ministers make unbelievably poor and sometime downright stupid decisions.

Granted, some leaders are not very smart, effective or brave but they are leaders in their own unique way. I believe they all want the best for the rakyat, as far as they are allowed to. We, the keyboard critics, should just pray that our leaders are guided in their governance of the country.

Right bro. We keyboard advisers have more influence then the UMNO leaders themselves.No one have monopoly on wisdom and as you say in the US its the lobbyist who really run the country.So it is with Malaysia now.Its the keyboard lobbyist who influence events.